How do i do a factory reset on Iconia W4 Windows 8

nontechhie
nontechhie Member Posts: 9 New User
in 2015 Archives

So fed-up, please tell me this is easy!

Answers

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,313 Trailblazer

    There are several types of resets, Windows has two built in that will either reset you while keeping your data (Refresh) or reset to the base Windows configuration (Reset). To reset and keep the Acer installed applications and utilities you need to use your Recovery discs, flash drive, or in a recovery partition on your tablet (depends on which was provided with your SKU). Easiest is the Widows methods, but if you want to keep the full startup build you need to do the Acer Recovery.

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  • nontechhie
    nontechhie Member Posts: 9 New User

    Hello, I don't have any discs as this is a mini tablet (8 x 4.5"). I don't mind losing everything and reinstalling because I don't use apps on this device, apart from microsoft office and I've taken all my documents off already n preparàtion for the reset so I'm happy to lose that also.

     

    I don't understand sku, I looked it up, is it just a number?

     

    On my last tablet to do a factory reset you just had to press a few things,  i was hoping it would be that-. I did't get a flash drive either with my tablet and I don't know where a recovery partition would be? I don't understand how to do this, I would send the whole thing back to Acer but I would still want to do the recovery first..

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,313 Trailblazer

    If you can still boot to Windows then you should start by making a recovery drive using the Acer tools and a 16GB flash drive. If you can't boot into Windows how far do you get?

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  • nontechhie
    nontechhie Member Posts: 9 New User

    Everything starts up, it'sjust that the far left hand side of the screen doesn't respond anymore and that is where the internet icon and windows explorer are so it's impossible to open files etc.  Also sometimes the screen starts doing wierd stuff.  I did a virus scan though and it said there was nothing.

     

    What are Acer tools??  The only thing in the pack when I bought the tablet was the tablet itself, a micro USB and the windows activation thing. 

    What would I do with the flash drive?

     

    Thank you

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,313 Trailblazer

    Ah, Acer eRecovery Manager is the software tool used to make a recovery disc that takes you back to the stock software image again.

     

    If you swipe in from the right to get the charm bar you should be able to get into your Control Panel and have it reset calibration on the touchscreen. If your problem is from corrupted calibration then that might just fix it without other changes. If you still have a large section not responding it might be a hardware problem with the touch digitizer, and a recovery wouldn't help that.

     

    Better if we can diagnose the issue before toking too many steps down a path that might not fix it.

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  • nontechhie
    nontechhie Member Posts: 9 New User

    I started this, then to recalibrate it said I had to right-click. I don't have a mouse so there will be a slight delay while I go and buy one before I can try this fix!  Will update v. soon!

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,313 Trailblazer

    Right click on a touchscreen is handled by a long press to the screen. No need for a mouse unless the area you need to access is in the area that is affected by the problem.

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  • nontechhie
    nontechhie Member Posts: 9 New User

    Hello, I tried that and though it registers in a way, an outline of a square briefly appears, it doesn't do anything. Also, when I selected the screen calibration part in Control Panels it showed me a white portrait screen when my tablet was positioned in landscape, i.e.there is a white portrait screen on the left hand side of my landscape screen. That black cross thing on the corner of the white portrait bit that you are meant to tap appears but doesn't make that portrait white screen change to landscape to fit into the whole screen area. (It does though if the tablet is held in portrait) Hard to explain, but it is like holding a white piece of portrait paper on top of a landscape tablet, it doesn't fit and  nothing I did made it fit, it didn't re-calibrate, anyway. I borrowed a mouse last night and though the arrow pointer showed on the right hand side of the screen it disappeared if it was held onto the portrait white 'calibrating' screen.

     

    Also, I saw a recovery option in Control panels so I went into that but it only gave me an option to recover the tablet to 17 days ago and as the screen went bananas in mid-March that doesn't help at all!  It doesn't give me an option to put in a date of my choosing.

    The whole thing is driving me mad, I don't understand why it has been made so difficult, there should just be a keybard short-cut to do a recovery, surely?!!  I can't do my work, I don't want fancy computers, just ones that work, getting upset!!

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,313 Trailblazer

    There should be a Reset button on the calibrate screen that removes whatever calibration is already there. If the issue is corrupted calibration parameters, that should clear it up. Microsoft wrote the calibration routine, so I'm not too surprised it handles only portrait mode, though that shouldn't make any difference since it'll use the same physical points when in landscape mode.

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